For Posterity's Sake
by zemplit
Summary: Rivalries can be born in family feuds or ideological disagreements. When both conflate, one may see generations of bloodshed arise in a bitter, perpetual conflict.


Disclaimer: I do not own nor profess ownership of Naruto or other related properties. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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"Akio, will you carry on my legacy and strive to fulfill my dream?"

I snapped my head up, my stare of bewilderment ignored by my father as his serene gaze fixed upon my brother. An awkward shuffling occurred next to me: my brother probably reacting in surprise. I didn't care; my mind swirled, my stomach felt sick. How could this happen, how could father choose _him_? The weak, starry-eyed fool?

Akio cleared his throat, and my eyes veered towards his face. He looked uncomfortable. "Father, I'll…" He trailed off, unable to continue his response. I couldn't help but narrow my eyes. The weakling was naturally indecisive. It was all too easy to tell he desired the honor Father was awarding him, yet his pretense to honor and humility prevented him from outright taking it. His facade was all too easy to read, at least to one who's known him all his life.

Father evidently agreed with my assessment, as he sighed and said: "Akio, my son, do not be so modest. I trust this responsibility to you because I believe you can bear such a burden." He smiled. It was a small, pained thing in his sickly condition, yet it was a smile nonetheless. "I trust you. Can you not trust yourself?"

Clearly he can. He is just putting up this show to fool Father. I dare not interrupt, yet I couldn't help but grit my teeth in frustration. What could Father see in him– what quality of character elevated him to the position he was in now. He was just lucky to be born the son of the greatest man alive, a living god. It allowed him to so easily manipulate Father's great compassion and empathy, to slowly ingratiate himself and be perceived as the perfect vessel for Father's ideals. Why was I the only one who could see his double-sided nature, his sycophantic behavior?

My brother looked at Father, brow creasing as he nodded in an attempt to appease him, a reflexive motion to maintain his obsequious demeanour. "I doubt I deserve it, but…" His eyes moved toward me, and I could all too easily see the derision in them. "I will try my best to to uphold your wishes Father." Akio then bowed, leaving me unable to see the expression he held on his face. I had no doubt what it was, however: his arrogance and the pleasure of his triumph could not be so easily concealed.

Father looked pleased for a moment, then finally turned his gaze to me, the other son. For the briefest of moments, I saw pity in his eyes. I could only lower my head in deference and shame. To be pitied by one's own father, your ideal person; nothing could have softened such a blow. I believed in strict control of emotions, to dispense of unnecessary and wasteful sentiment, yet Father's one look nearly brought me to tears.

"Raise your head, Ryuunosuke," Father requested, and as I matched my gaze with his I saw something that almost looked liked pride in his eyes. "Do not be discouraged, my son. Your brother and you both profess distinct philosophies, but that is not a cause for jealousy or conflict. Akio marches down the same road I once did, but your methods are not wrong, nor are they necessarily in conflict with Akio's. Akio possesses the ideology most similar to mine, but that does not prevent you two from working together, creating together. You two are partners, brothers. Together, you can both work to create a better world."

Yet Akio's world is the one you would prefer, isn't it Father? You just admitted as such, no matter how much you try to obscurify it. Akio had convinced you of my danger, how 'cruel' I am, hadn't he? I could only despair in how the most powerful being in existence has been so thoroughly manipulated by his own family. Akio clearly had no shames or scruples in doing so either, as he seems so delighted in himself.

Father sunk into his bed, seemingly exhausted from even the slight exertion of talking. He truly was dying. I disagreed with what he said, but I would never refute, not even if he was at his healthiest. Father had a charisma that could turn foes into friends, mend bridges and inspire the weak. No matter how I turned his words in my head, I could not find it in me to dispute them. From his perspective, what he said was perfectly valid and logical. But he did not understand Akio as I did. He did not see the burning ambition, the guile and deceit that I saw in his every word and motion. How could he look upon his beloved son, his chosen heir, and see anything but the best in him? Father's sight was limited, his judgment clouded.

My mind was still sharp. Even if Father could not view the true nature of his younger son, I could. And I would do anything to secure my father's legacy, even if I had to trample over my own brother to do so.

Akio stood up and took Father's silence as a sign of dismissal. I only rose when I heard him close the bedroom door behind him. I turned to exit as well.

"Ryuunosuke, please stay for a moment," Father said, still resting on his future death bed. I turned to look at him. The shadows under his eyes increased in prominence, his sitting posture worsened, and his breathing ran haggard. I blinked in surprise.

"Father, are you we-" 'Well', was what I was about to say, but it was a stupid question, so instead I said: "I mean, has your condition worsened?" It was the question I had been contemplating and dreading, but the fact he just announced Akio as his heir and the finality of the speech he delivered us frightened me.

Again he gave that weak, enigmatic smile of his. "No, it has not worsened. I have been hiding the symptoms." His smile dropped. "I will likely not live through the night, my son. I have been using senjutsu to prolong myself, but my chakra reserves have diminished to the point where even that is of no help. I have already extracted Shinju and split its power into the tailed beasts and sealed its body into the satellite I created with _Chibaku Tensei_. That was what weakened me so, I think. Powerful_ Rinnegan_ techniques tend to pull from the life-force of the user."

"Father, I know. My _Dōjutsu_ isn't as powerful as the _Rinnegan_, but they share enough similarities. I'm certain Akio knows as well, even if he is a fool." I could not keep the grimace off my face. Father seemed to notice as well.

"Son, do you know why I chose your brother over you?" His expression turned serious, his eyes sharp. What was once a simple, fatherly chat had become something much greater, but I could not tell the precise direction in which it had traveled or Father's intent.

I bowed my head in deference and said: "You said 'why' yourself earlier, didn't you Father? That Akio was the one most similar to you, and therefore the one most suited to carry on your will."

"That is not all, Ryuunosuke." Father's words rang disappointed, accusatory. "Envy burns within you, hatred swelling in your every motion. Paranoia and aggression are your tools of diplomacy. Despite your intent, I can easily see your jealousy, your rage over being overlooked, of being disfavored." He leaned forward, gaze burning into my now shriveling form, a feeling so close to killing intent permeating the room. "I know of your intentions regarding Akio; displacing him is probably your inherent inclination, as you view him as a rival. Your soul yearns for conflict, and you can only trust power. That is why I didn't choose you as my heir. You appeal to force, believe that it is the natural state of humanity to dominate each other, so you wish to dominate them yourself, and see your brother's idealism as an obstacle, a mark of weakness." He leaned back into the bed once again, a tired sigh accompanying the movement. "I love you my son, but how can I trust you, how can I believe you will aid humanity and bring peace to the Elemental Nations when you are unable to come to peace with yourself and your family?"

I could not utter a single word to retort, I was unable to offer even the most trifle protests. After all, nothing could be said when your Father called you a tyrant, a monster. Nothing could have been done that would have prepared me for that moment, that simple refutation of everything I have strived for and believed in.

Bowing my head before him again, I finally managed the courage to mutter, "I don't know, Father." I stood up and hurried out of the room, only briefly catching the disappointment on Father's face as I turned and walked.

Those were the last words I ever spoke to him. The next morning Father, the man known as both Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and the Sage of the Six Paths, died.

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Well, the first chapter of my first fanfiction. Didn't turn out so well, the dialogue and narration seemed a little stiff and unnatural to me, but hopefully it carries the intended effect. Paranoia is rather difficult to write for me, and the chapter is much shorter than I expected it would be, but I don't think any infodumps were necessary; this is a simple character analysis, after all. Criticism is welcome, and I hope you readers find this piece interesting. It will most likely be five chapter in total, and I don't expect a word count higher than 10,000 here. Next chapter will most likely be posted by 10/11/13.


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